2-15-13 CP NEWS

Governor Cuomo posted the 21-Day Amendments to his 2013-2014 budget proposal on February 12. These 21-Day Amendments do NOT include any language on the $1.1 billion or any new cuts to programs or services to reflect the ongoing dispute with CMS over the developmental center rate. OPWDD Commissioner Courtney Burke had told us earlier that these negotiations had taken a more positive direction. But, the Governor could still put an additional $1.1 billion in cuts in his 30-Day Amendments which are due on February 21. Hopefully, negotiations with CMS will continue to progress and may even be resolved by then.

One change of interest to CP of NYS Affiliates is the clarification that Early Intervention Service Coordinators do not have to enter into HMO or insurer networks.

In response to a motion filed by Agencies for Children’s Therapy Services (ACTS), the Nassau County Supreme Court has issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the application and enforcement of the “conflict of interest” regulations for Early Intervention, which went into effect January 1, 2013.

CP of NYS presented testimonyon January 30, 2013 at the Joint Legislative Fiscal Hearing on Health and Medicaid. CP of NYS was the only association representing developmental disability providers to present testimony at the hearing. The testimony discussed the concern that the Governor’s budget proposes to move all Medicaid into the Department of Health while simultaneously racing into mandatory managed care for all supports and services for people with developmental disabilities. The testimony also includes recommendations and concerns related to the Governor’s budget proposal for Early Intervention.

The New York State legislative leaders have agreed to a schedule for passing the 2013-2014 New York State Budget. The New York State Constitution requires that the budget be passed by April 1 but due to early Passover and Easter holidays this year, the budget schedule is compressed with final budget passage set for March 18 -21, 2013.

Following is the 2013-2014 Budget schedule:

On or before February 27: Senate/Assembly Fiscal Committee Economic & Revenue Reports Released

February 28: Joint Revenue Forecasting Conference

March 1: Revenue Consensus Report

March 11: Senate & Assembly budget actions

March 11: Joint Senate/Assembly budget conference committees commence

March 14: Final Report of Joint Conference Committee

March 18-21: Joint Legislative budget bills taken up by Senate & Assembly

In 2011, OPWDD created the New York State Developmental Disabilities Talent Development Consortium to develop and implement a comprehensive set of core competencies for direct support professionals across the state, and a talent development plan to master those competencies.

The New York State direct support professional competencies are in the implementation stage. They are not a training program but represent the day-to-day work that DSPs perform when serving individuals with developmental disabilities. The standardized DSP competencies, along with the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals’ Code of Ethics will help set standards for quality supports and services; provide guidance for DSPs; promote professionalism; standardize DSP skills; improve service provision; and save training costs.

Sharon Kuriger, Division Director, Behavioral Health Services, along with Jawonio Advocacy Group (JAG) group members Ramon Rivera and Angela Neal, and Pierre Baptiste, a Direct Service Professional at Jawonio, had an opportunity to hear and be photographed with Governor Andrew Governor Cuomo at the Pascack Community Center on February 12. The Governor was in Rockland County discussing his budget proposal with local leaders and constituents.

Jim Williams, from CP of the North Country, will be presenting a session entitled “Outdoor Recreation for People of All Abilities” as part of the New York State Recreation and Park Society Annual Conference March 18 at the Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside. Mr. Williams conducts outdoor recreation activities including hiking, camping and canoeing for program participants at CP of the North Country. He has spoken about his programs at the CP of NYS Annual Conference and other events in the past several years.